cement in bilge

[Giorgos]

Hello friends.I am a new member of your forum.I am from Greece and i am a professional fisherman.My english are not so good so please forgive my mistakes.I own a 15m meters wooden fishing boat thas was built 2002.The hull is made of iroco wood and the inside frame is made of pine wood.Because in fishing is very important to have a boat steady as much as possible i need to add extra weight into the boat.The most economical & space saving method is to spread cement into the bottom of the boat from the bow to the stearn.I would like to have the opinion of people who have experience in wooden boats.Will i damage my boat if i do it?Will cement cause the rot of wood beneath it?Something i forgot to say is that the boat is always working into the sea, in saltwater not in a lake with freshwater.
Thanks in advance my friends for your help.

[gonzo]

It is a very common method. Usually the bilges are painted with tar before putting the cement in. If you mix scrap iron with the cement the density will be greater and will give more stability

[Giorgos]

Thank you my friend.The only thing that makes me worry is that the wood won't be able to "breath" from the inside and i don't know if that will cause any rot to it.

[gonzo]

Wood doesn't breath. Maintaining a humidity content as constant as possible makes the wood last longer. The cycle of wet and dry ends up deteriorating wood.